Key Facts About
South-Western City Schools

With 20,753 students, the district has the sixth highest student
body in the state and the second highest in Franklin County.

Enrollment is stable, but more students need help to succeed.
Nearly 50 percent of students are economically disadvantaged,
up from 35 percent five years ago.

Sixty-one percent of the district’s schools were rated A+, A,
or B on the 2009 state report card.

The district has the third lowest expenditures per pupil among
the 16 school districts in Franklin County.
This guide was funded by KidsOhio.org, a nonpartisan nonprofit
organization dedicated to improving the education of Ohio children.
To download and share this guide, visit www.KidsOhio.org.
Where is the South-Western City Schools District?
The South-Western City Schools district,
as shown in the map, is located in the
southwest quadrant of Franklin County.
The district comprises 127 square miles.
This diverse district includes residents
of Columbus, Grove City, and several
townships. The district has been called
a microcosm of the state due to its
urban, suburban, and rural make-up.
Who are the students of South-Western City Schools?
Enrollment is stable, but student needs are on the rise.
With nearly 21,000 students, South-Western City Schools (SWCS) has the
state’s sixth highest student body and Franklin County’s second highest.
SWCS has more students than urban districts Canton, Dayton, and
Youngstown. While the district’s enrollment has remained relatively steady
over the past five years, students have greater needs.
“While the
district’s
enrollment
remained
steady over the
past five years,
Nearly 50 percent of SWCS students are economically disadvantaged, up from students have
35 percent five years ago. The rates of students with disabilities and students
greater needs.”
with limited English proficiency also increased. Research shows that students
from homes with economic hardships, as well as those with disabilities, limited
English, and those who switch schools during the school year, require greater
resources, such as more personal attention from teachers. The next chart
illustrates the growing needs of SWCS students.
2
How does South-Western compare to other Franklin County districts
in terms of demographic information?
The next two charts depict how South-Western compares to the other 15 Franklin County
school districts in terms of 2009 demographics. South-Western has the second highest
enrollment, the seventh highest minority rate, the fifth highest rate of economically
disadvantaged students (tied with Hamilton), the highest rate of students with Limited English
Proficiency (tied with Whitehall), and the fifth highest rate of students with a disability (tied
with Reynoldsburg). Detailed demographic data for each district are listed in the chart on page
4.
South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: 2009 Demographic Data
Measure
South-Western RANK among 16 Franklin County Districts
Enrollment
20,753
2nd Highest
Minority Rate
26.9%
7th Highest
Economically Disadvantaged Rate
49.7%
5th Highest (tie)
Limited English Proficiency Rate
12.4%
The Highest (tie)
Disability Rate
14.3%
5th Highest (tie)
3
Note: Rates rounded to make comparisons easier.
How did South-Western students perform on 2009 state tests?
Academic achievement is improving, despite greater
student needs.
While South-Western’s overall poverty rate of nearly
50 percent is higher than the state’s average of 40
percent, 19 of 31 schools (61%) were rated A+, A, or
B by the state on the 2009 state report card. Of the
remaining 12 schools (39%), 10 were rated C and two
were rated D.
4
The district’s Performance Index score, which is a combined measure
of performance on all 2009 state tests, has increased by 10 points
since the beginning of the decade.
Seven SWCS schools were among the top half of 3,526 schools in the
state, based on Performance Index score. The following three SWCS
schools scored among the top 25 percent of all schools in the state:
“Seven schools were
Harrisburg Elementary School, Buckeye Woods Elementary School,
among the top half of
and Grove City High School.
3,526 schools in the
state.”
In 2009, as illustrated in the following chart, the district ranks 534th
among 610 school districts in terms of Performance Index score.
However, the district ranks 150th among 610 school districts in terms
of the state’s value-added academic growth expectations. This means,
the district ranks among the bottom 15 percent in test scores, but
among the top 25 percent in students meeting or exceeding one
year of academic growth.
South-Western Ranks Higher on Education Progress than on Absolute Test Scores
Rank #1
BUT...
Ranked 534
Rank #610
5
Ranked 150
All 22 of South-Western City Schools’ elementary and
intermediate schools met or exceeded the state’s academic
growth expectations in 2009. One of the district’s middle
schools met expectations; the other four middle schools did not
“All...elementary and
meet growth expectations. High schools do not receive this
intermediate schools met designation from the state.
or exceeded...growth
expectations…, four
As shown in the chart below, South-Western City Schools
middle schools did not…” outperformed the state as a whole in terms of value-added
academic growth expectations for school year 2008-2009.
Seventy-four percent of SWCS schools exceeded growth
expectations; while 61 percent of all Ohio schools did.
How does South-Western compare to the other 15 Franklin County
districts academically?
The next chart illustrates how the South-Western school district compares to other school
districts in Franklin County on the 2009 state report card. South-Western has the fourth
lowest Performance Index score and the fourth lowest number of standards met out of 30.
The district has the second lowest graduation rate among Franklin County districts, but the
rate has been above that of the state as a whole for the past six school years. In 2008, SWCS’
graduation rate was 87 percent; the state’s overall rate was 85 percent.
6
South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: 2009 State Report Card
Measure
South-Western
RANK among 16 Franklin County Districts
Performance Index score
90
4th Lowest
Standards met (out of 30)
16
4th Lowest
87%
2nd Lowest
Graduation Rate (2008)
Source: Ohio Department of Education, 2009. Downloaded from http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us.
The district shares a C-rating with Columbus. One district, Whitehall, had a lower rating of D.
Twelve districts exceeded the state’s value-added academic growth expectations. SouthWestern, Columbus, and Gahanna met the state’s expectations, and Whitehall did not meet
expectations for growth. Detailed report card results for each district are available at
www.KidsOhio.org.
How does South-Western compare to other Franklin County districts
in terms of finances?
As illustrated in the following chart, in 2009 South-Western had the seventh lowest average
teacher salary and the fifth lowest median income among the sixteen Franklin County school
districts. The district had the third lowest per-pupil expenditures in 2008, which is the most
recent comparable data. In terms of residential and business school taxes, the district ranked
fifth and eighth lowest.
South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: District Finances
Measure
South-Western
Rank among 16 Franklin County Districts
Average Teacher Salary
$60,414
7th Lowest
Expenditures Per Pupil (2008)
$9,336
3rd Lowest
Median Income
$32,462
5th Lowest
$1,061
5th Lowest
$1,724
8th Lowest
RESIDENTIAL School Taxes per
$100,000 of Real Property Valuation
BUSINESS School Taxes per
$100,000 of Real Property Valuation
Sources: Ohio Department of Education, 2009 and Franklin County Auditor, 2009. All data is from 2009 unless noted.
Franklin County districts include Bexley, Canal Winchester, Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna-Jefferson, Grandview Heights, Groveport
Madison, Hamilton, Hilliard, New Albany, Reynoldsburg, South-Western, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall, and Worthington.
7
KidsOhio.org was founded in 2002 in response to requests from civic,
education, and business leaders for an independent, data-driven organization
that would work to improve all local schools. Our work is based on a
fundamental belief: accurate, objective and timely data are essential to
effective policy and decision-making.
KidsOhio.org Board Members and Leadership:
Abigail Wexner, Board Chair
Frederick Ransier, Esq.
Chad Jester
Ilana Horowitz Ratner
Linda Kass
Elizabeth Ruppert, M.D.
Jeffrey Lyttle
Barbara Trueman
Mark Real, President
These and other KidsOhio.org publications are available at www.KidsOhio.org:
22 East Gay Street, Suite 600
Columbus, Ohio 43215
8
Phone: 614.228.6400
Web: www.KidsOhio.org